Rolling mill



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1'.

P. KIRK.

ROLLING MILL. No. 270,441. Patented J .n.9, 1883.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 P. KIRK.

. ROLLING MILL.

No. 270,441. Patented,Jan. 9,1883.

UNTTED STATES PATENT Tries.

PETER KIRK, 0F VVORKINGTON, COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND, ENGLAND.

ROLLING-MILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 270,441, dated January 9, 1883.

Application filed April 17, 1882. (No model.) Patented in England February 15, 1881. No. 637.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LPE'IER KlRK, of \Vorkiugton, in the county ofUumberland, England, iron -iminufacturer, have invented Improvements in Rolling-Mills employed in the manuiacture of iron and steel, (for which I have obtained English Letters Patent No. 637, hearing date February 15, 1881,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to rolling-mills adapted more particularly to be employed in the produolion of iron and steel rails and of heavy bars, but is or may also be useful in the construi-tion of mills for rolling otherdescriptions of iron and steel.

In the carrying into effect of a former invention, for which I obtained English Letters Patent No.470, hearing date February 5, 1876, I employed live rolls--thatis to say,I combined a set of three-high rolls with an ordinary two-roll mill, the intention being to obtain two reductions by passing the ingot or bloom between the lower rolls, and then to obtain a further reduction with the same heat by lifting the ingot or bloom to the upper rolls in the three-high set.

The object of my present invention is to still further increasetheduty ofthe mill,principally in order to be able to complete rails and heavy bars by rolling down from the ingotor bloom with one heat. To this end I combine with a set of three central rolls and a set of two outer lower rolls an additional set of two upper outer rolls in such a manner as that I can obtain two reductions by passing'between thelower rolls, and then two reductions by passing between the upper rolls, or vice versa, according to the arrangements. p

In the arrangement which I have adopted when carrying myinvention into efl'ect, [form the housings in standards, each of which is principally composed of two suitably strong castings firmly bolted and secured together at the top and bottom. The set of three rolls is housed in a space between the two castings, each casting containing a pair of rolls, so that there is a vertical set of three rollsin the center and a set of two rolls on each side. In the case of one of the outside sets the upper roll is about in line with the upper roll of the set of three, and in the case of the other set the upper roll is about in line with the middle roll of the set of three. To drive the mill, I couple the center roll of the middle set to the main shaft and gear up the lower roll of one outer set and the upper roll of the other outer set with the same shaft, or with a shaft coupled therewith, and I gear together the rolls which ruutogether at the same surface speed in the ordinary manner. I prefer to enter the bloom between the rolls of the lower outer set and return it between the rolls of the upper outer set, the rolls of the center set in such a case running faster than the rolls in the outer sets. I employ a revolving roller below the upper outer rolls to carry out the bloom or bar and an upper revolving taking-in roller in front of the upper outer set. When the bloom or bar is lifted tobe returned it comes into contact with the said taking-in roller, which helps to run the bloom or bar in.

In order that my invention maybe fullynnderstood, I will describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 represents a longitudinal elevation of the improved mill, Fig. 2 representing a vertical section on the line A in Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4'are diagrams illustrative of the manner in which I gear together the rolls in the mill.

In Figs. 1 and 2, o a are the standards in which the rolls are housed. Each standard is principally composed of two strong castings firmly bolted and secured together at the top and bottom. In the space between the two castings are housed three center rolls, b, c, and d, and eavh casting is also fitted with housings for two outside rolls, 0 f and g h. The standards are each formed in two principal parts for convenience, but Ido not confine myself to this formation. It will be seen that the upper roll, 0, of one of the outside sets is about in line with the middle roll of the center set, and that the upper roll, g, of the other side set is about in line with the upper roll ofthe center set. The rolls in each set are geared together by means of spur-wheels i, which are fixed upon short shafts which are housed in the standards I0 70, and are connected with therolls by means of the couplings l I.

Fig. 4 represents the pitch-circles of the connecting-wheels i. The axle of the center roll,

c, of the entire series is connected by the couplings l and m, and the intermediate shaft, which is housed in the standardsk k, with the main shaft n, which in practice is the crankshaft of the driving-engines. Upon this shaft is fixed a spur-wheel, 0, which gears with a wlieeLp, which is fixed on a shaft, 7', which is coupled with the roll g. Upon a shaft, 8, is fixed a spur-whee], t, which also gears with the wheel 1), and the said shaft 8 is coupled with the rollf. The pitch-circles otthese three wheels are represented in Fig. 3, wherein it will be seen that the gearing is so proportioned that the three rolls in the center set will revolve more quickly than the rolls in the two outer sets. A roller, a, is housed below the roll h, and is driven from the central axle, or from any suitable part of the mill, by means of a pitch-chain or by gearing. (Not represented in the drawings.) The said roller sustains and carries out the bloom or bar as itis passed between the rolls 0 (1. Two carrying-in rollers, 12 and w, are also mounted to revolve in brackets which are secured to the standards, and the said rollers are suitably driven to cause them to carry in the bloom or bar toward the rolls. The bloom or ingot is entered, in the first instance,hetween the rolls 0f, and, passing between the rolls 0 d, is .earried out by the as sistance of the roller 20. The bloom or bar is then lifted to pass between the rolls {/h and b c, the roller to assisting to carry in the said bloom or bar. It will be seen that four reductionsa re obtained by passing the Work through the mill from one side and returning it from the other side. I prefer the arrangement for driving whereby the metal is passed through Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of my said invention and the manner in which I carry the same into practical effect, I wouldhave it to be understood, in conclusion, that the following is what I claim as new.and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

The combination of an outer lower set of two rolls, a central set of three rolls, and an upper outer set of two rolls, for reducing the metal fourtimes by being passed once through the two sets of lower and two sets of upper rolls, as set forth.

2. The combinatiomwith the set ot'two outer lower rolls, set of two outer Upper rolls, and central set of three rolls, of the lower carryingrollers, o and a, and upper carrying-roller, w, as set forth.

In witness whereof I, the said PETER KIRK, have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two witnesses, this 29th day of March, in the year of our Lord 1882.

PETER KIRK. Witnesses:

M. J. W EEKS,

tUnoLPI-I Units. NroKoL, Clerks 0 rlllZSSl'S. I. Newton d"; 5on8, Public Notar (es, 31 Lombard Street, London. 

